My Father
by The-Super-Powered-Demigod
Summary: AU. Lin Beifong's father is in her life. However her childhood is still difficult. Why? Her father's identity has to be a secret. Rated T for language and some suggestive/dark themes. Toko. Linumi.
1. Chapter 1

"I know she's mine, Toph." The woman in question sighed at the man's had dreaded this conversation ever since she found out she was having a kid. Children are terrifying enough, adding in a father who was engaged to another woman-it's a wonder if Toph had made it this far.

"I figured you would know, or at least guess." Toph shifted the sleeping infant in her arms.

"You of all people should know I have a right to be part of my kid's life. You can't keep her from me." He got straight to the point. He was never one for beating around the bush.

"And _you_ of all people should know it's not that simple, Zuko!" Zuko took a step back in surprise. The baby started squirm, Toph quickly soothed her.

"Look, you're about to be married to and already have a another kid with Mai. Katara already told me Lin's going to be an earthbender. You know that your nation would only see her as the bastard child of the firelord-not royalty-no matter how rich my family is. Speaking of your nation, you live there and I live here in Republic city. It's not like you can just to my house and see her on weekends!" Toph spoke quietly to avoid waking Lin, yet her voice was still tense.

Zuko fired right back, however. "Mai can learn to deal with having a step-daughter, I have a fucking dragon, distance will not be a problem."

"What about the Fire Nation? I don't care for public images much, but you have one to keep!"

"Who said the Fire Nation had to know?"

Now that threw Toph off. _Did he just really suggest we keep Lin a secret? Well that was certainly unexpected_.

"Fire Nation nobles have had several illegitimate children, and usually they send them away not bring them into the Fire Nation, but we've never been normal." Zuko explained.

Toph found herself finding reason in his ridiculous plan. Suddenly, she started laughing quietly-and a bit bitterly.

Zuko gave her a confused look until he remembered she couldn't see it and asked why she was laughing.

"We must be the biggest idiots in the world." She said with a sad smile on her face.

"No, that would be Sokka." This time her laugh was genuinely happy.

.

.

"So did you talk to him?!" Katara was as nosy as ever, even with her few month old baby to feed.

"Yes." Toph answered shortly.

"And… what did he say?"

"We're sharing custody and hiding Lin's royal status."

Katara laughed before she noticed Toph's serious look. "You're actually doing that?! What about Lin? You think she'll enjoy being passed back and for-"

"This is _for_ Lin! This way she'll be saved from the Fire Nation's scrutiny and still get a father! I know it isn't exactly ideal but this situation is so fucked up, I think it's a pretty good solution."

Katara was speechless. _Lin is in for a hell of a life. Why couldn't they just not do each other?! Oh I shouldn't think that!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash followed by Bumi shouting "mom". She got up with a sigh. Whether it be at Bumi's antics or Toph's situation, she couldn't tell you.

.

.

"I understand, Zuko."

"You do?"

"Yes, we took a break. I didn't wait for us to get back together either, and while I didn't end up with another kid, I understand. I also understand how you want to be there for your kid." Mai seemed to be handling this best of everyone (who would have thought?).

"Thank you, Mai. You don't know how much this means to me." Zuko was relieved she was being supportive even though it wasn't her daughter.

"That being said, I can't promise I'll be a very good stepmother."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. After all you've been a normal mother to Izumi. How different can it be?" Zuko let out a small laugh as he kissed his bride-to-be.

.

.

"Congrats on your second kid, man!" Sokka said as he clapped Zuko on the back.

Aang glanced at his insensitive brother-in-law. He then placed his own hand on Zuko shoulder comfortingly.

"You're going to be fine."

"I hope you're right."

Izumi looked at the small, moving bundle in her Aunt Toph's arms. The small baby had not impressed the two year old. Now, however, Izumi couldn't hold back a smile as Lin yawned.

 **I have no right to start another story, but I am Toko trash. This is ignoring canon in favor of my headcanons. That includes ages of the kids. Tenzin is six months older than Lin. Izumi is two years older than them. Kya three years older, Bumi four years older. Suyin will be six years younger than Lin. May change some other small details as I go.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**


	2. Chapter 2

Lin was 3 when she first started her visits to the Fire Nation. She would visit for 3 weeks every other month. It wasn't much but it was enough for Lin to grow close to Izumi, and to love Zuko and Mai. For some unknown reason every other month Izumi would get a lot more mischievous and the palace staff did not appreciate it. In that same time period the Fire Lord seemed to be more exasperated than usual. Probably no correlation to Lin.

The only time the staff could rest easy was one month when Lin was six.

 **.**

 **.**

Lin sat in the kitchen of Katara and Aang's home, staring at the wall. She could hear her mother and Katara moving about in the next room and the sound of Katara's waterbending. Bumi walked in the room and interrupted Lin's staring.

"You know, little sister's aren't so bad." He said getting straight to the point.

"I know. I am a little sister, for goodness sake!" She cried, her voice even higher than normal.

"Then what are you freaking out about? If you think your mom is going to like the new baby better, I can tell you she won't! Moms don't do that." Lin could swear she heard the words "Dads might though." but she couldn't tell.

"That's not the proble- well that's a small part- but w-what if i'm not a good big sister?" The last part came of softer as her eyes traveled to the floor.

Bumi's eyes softened. "Lin, if I can be a good older brother then I promise you can be a good older sister. Plus, you have an example in Izumi. You're going to be fine and then new baby is going to love you."

"When did you get so smart?"

"The minute i turned ten. Double digits do a lot for your brain." Lin rolled her eyes and was about to punch the older boy's arm when a glass-shattering scream came from the other room.

"Well, baby will be here soon." Lin glared at Bumi before worryingly looking back at the door.

 **.  
.**

Hours later Lin was called in the room to see her mother and new baby sister. She sat on her knees on the bed, looking in awe at the baby's face.

"Lin, meet your sister, Suyin Beifong."

Lin finally broke her gaze and grinned up at her mother. "We can call her Su for short!"

 **.  
.**

The Fire Lord and his family had come to support Toph during the birth of her second kid. Lin immediately ran to hug the rest of her family.

"The baby is here! It's a girl and her name is Su! Well, it's Suyin but I'm gonna call her Su. She's really cute and I know we're gonna have a lot a fun together and-"

"Slow down there, Lin." Cutting off his daughter's excited rambling. "I'm sure you will have fun but that will have to wait a few years. Now about this cute thing, I'm going to have to see for myself, where's your mom at?"

Lin pointed to the room where Toph was currently resting. As Zuko and Mai walked over, Lin turned back to Izumi grinning ear to ear.

"I'm like you now, 'Zumi!" Izumi grinned right back before they both ran to the room their father just entered.

 **I know I am the worst about updating, feel free to hate me. Either way I skipped some of her childhood because babies are very interesting to write about- not even sorry. This was the first thing I wrote that I didn't hate so it's going up before I can hate it. Enjoy.**

 **Demigod out.**


End file.
